5 Skills Needed For Proficient Writing- #3 Text Structure
I recently read a book that helped me wrap my head around what it actually takes to become a skilled writer. Like reading, writing involves mastering several interconnected microskills. Joan Sedita’s Writing Rope, A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction highlights five essential strands that contribute to writing proficiency. Like understanding Scarborough’s Reading Rope, this concept allows us to analyze the microskills that may be inhibiting our students’ ability to fluently and skillfully write.
In this blog series, we will look at each of the 5 strands through the intermediate lens. Hopefully, by breaking writing down into these subskills, we can make the whole process seem a little more manageable! Follow our plan and in 12 weeks, feel confident about your students writing ability for standardized testing.
5 Strands of the Writing Rope:
The Importance of Understanding Text Structure in Writing
The next strand we’ll discuss is text structure. When teaching writing, one of the most crucial steps is helping students understand the systematic way paragraphs and texts are built. Just like a building needs a blueprint before construction begins, writing needs a plan that aligns with its purpose. Whether constructing a house, barn, or skyscraper, builders follow specific designs to meet the needs of the structure. Writing is no different! Before students start planning or drafting, they must first ask, "What kind of writing am I creating?" Each type of writing has its own structure, purpose, and guidelines. By explicitly teaching these structures, we provide students with the tools to organize their thoughts and effectively communicate their ideas.
The four main text structures are narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive writing. Below is a brief overview of each, including its purpose and what students should know about planning for these structures:
1. Narrative Writing
What It Is: Narrative writing tells a story or recounts an experience. It includes characters, settings, events, and often a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Purpose: To entertain, inform, or reflect. Narratives allow readers to connect emotionally and understand events through a storyteller's perspective.
Systematic Plan: Teach students to use a story arc that includes an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Encourage them to develop characters, create a vivid setting, and build tension or conflict to engage the reader.
2. Expository Writing
What It Is: Expository writing explains or informs. It often presents facts, steps, or processes in a logical, organized manner.
Purpose: To provide information or teach readers about a topic clearly and effectively.
Systematic Plan: Guide students to begin with a clear thesis statement, followed by well-organized paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on one main idea supported by facts, details, or evidence. Each paragraph ends with a conclusion that summarizes the paragraph. Use graphic organizers such as webs or charts to outline their ideas. At more advanced level, expository texts can be broken down further into these text structures: compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, and chronological.
3. Descriptive Writing
What It Is: Descriptive writing uses sensory details to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. It focuses on "showing" rather than "telling." It can be incorprated into the other 3 kinds of writing.
Purpose: To help the reader visualize, experience, or understand something more deeply through detailed descriptions.
Systematic Plan: Encourage students to focus on sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) and to describe one thing, place, or moment in detail. In a writing lesson, "show, don't tell" encourages students to create vivid, detailed scenes by using sensory details, actions, and dialogue instead of directly stating emotions or facts.
For example:
Telling: "She was scared."
Showing: "Her hands trembled as she backed away, her breath quick and shallow."
4. Persuasive Writing
What It Is: Persuasive writing aims to convince the reader to believe or do something. It presents a clear opinion supported by reasons and evidence.
Purpose: To influence thoughts or actions by making a strong argument.
Systematic Plan: Teach students to start with a strong opinion statement, provide reasons supported by evidence, and address counterarguments. Use sentence starters like, "I believe... because..." or "Some people think... but..." to help structure their arguments. Offering a clear format will help readers can confidence sharing their opinions in an academic way.
Why Teach Text Structure?
Research consistently shows that teaching text structure improves students’ reading comprehension and writing quality. According to Duke, Pearson, Strachan, & Billman (2021), explicit instruction in text structure helps students understand how information is organized, which directly influences their ability to write effectively. Similarly, Shanahan (2020) emphasizes that understanding text structure fosters better planning and coherence in writing—skills essential for success in academic and real-world contexts.
How to Implement This in the Classroom
Using systematic instruction, such as modeled writing, shared writing, and guided practice, can scaffold students’ understanding of text structures. Tools like slide decks, graphic organizers, sentence stems, and mentor texts for each type of writing can make the process more accessible. Teachers can also differentiate the level of complexity to align with their students’ grade-level standards and abilities.
Connecting Text Structure to the Writing Rope
Skilled writing requires the integration of multiple components. Text structure represents the organizational strategies strand, which plays a critical role in helping students plan and execute their writing effectively. When students internalize text structures, they become more confident and capable writers who can adapt their skills to any genre or purpose.
Conclusion
Just as builders wouldn’t start construction without a blueprint, students shouldn’t start writing without understanding the structure they need to follow. Teaching narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive writing equips students with the tools to become organized, purposeful, and effective communicators. By incorporating explicit instruction, systematic plans, and research-backed strategies, teachers can ensure students are set up for success in both writing and life.
References:
Duke, N. K., Pearson, P. D., Strachan, S. L., & Billman, A. K. (2021). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher.
Shanahan, T. (2020). The importance of text structure in reading and writing. Literacy Today.
Sedita, J. (2019). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Writing Instruction.
